The younger of the Francis brothers; John is a top-order batsman. Having moved from Hampshire to Somerset in 2004; he has become a more productive player and had his most successful season in 2005 where he amassed 1062 runs at 40.84, including four centuries and a career-best of 125* against Yorkshire. 2006 was a poor year for Francis though as he played only five times in the Championship and failed to reach 150 runs for the season. His sporting capabilities extend beyond the cricket field as he also has a keen interest in hockey, representing England at U-18 level. In the off-season he runs Universal Marquees Limited Liam Sumsion September 2006